Good-bye to Summer

FALL COMES TO

TURNER'S WILD KINGDOM

Well, it's official in Iowa... summer is over. I just saw my first gaggle of Canadian Geese flying South for the winter. I even saw a group of pelicans flying south a few days ago! That's not something we see out this way- very cool! I'm not complaining, mind you. Fall is my FAVORITE time of year. Cool days, bright colors and no bugs. But I'm thinkin' this is kinda early. Don't you?

This is our resident male Hummer, Gunther. He's a big brute of a guy doing a splendid job of keeping all other hummers off the feeder in the front yard. He's also the little guy that flew right into Jim's SUV darkened window this Spring and knocked himself out. We thought sure he was a gonner. But we took him inside and revived him!! And he's been on his throne all summer long!! Here he sits on his perch, twitching his tale and spreading his dainty wings, dancing in the rain! You have to watch this short video! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHK_BB73q8s

But today I looked out my office window and, for the first time all summer, the hummer feeders were both sitting empty! Usually all 10 holes on each feeder are filled with a little beak guzzling sugar water with 10 more hovering in anticipation of the next open hole. They've been dive bombing and chittering at each other for months, yet the feeder sites were strangely quiet for minutes at a time. Oh, they're not all are gone, but a significant number, I'm sure, have decided it's just too darn cold at night and they've bought their tickets for the midnight flight to South America!

But here's a pic of the busier days this summer... how many buzzing beaks can you count? You may have to click on the picture and make it bigger to see them all... (hint, not all are flying!)


And the gold finches have been swarming the perennial purple cone flowers. They sit sideways on the stems and peck out more seeds than they eat, but they sure are good at it! And while I was filming the finches feats, a wily woodpecker joined the scene for a cameo! Here's a clip of the finches and the woodpecker: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8n3I8mVvCo

Our Turkey Trio is banding together with a lonely hen...now they're known as The Four Feathered Friends!

Even one of our little maple trees is already turning color... Yipes! What does Mother Nature have planned for us?! Can't wait for the next exciting adventure, whatever it may be!

And whatever you have planned for this holiday weekend, we sure hope you have a safe and happy one!!

Oh, almost forgot! Yhe number of hummers! --Wouldn't want ya to be wondering all weekend!! Here ya go: There were 8! (2 sitting in the tree, 4 on feeder, 2 flying in) I wanna hear how many of you found them all!! :)